Grape cultivation in China began in the Western Han Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the national strength was strong and the economy was developed, but the Xiongnu in the north was not honest at this time. In the second year of Jianyuan (BC 139), Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian to the Western Regions in order to eliminate the influence of Xiongnu. It used to be a long way and the traffic was underdeveloped. Unfortunately, Zhang Qian and his party were detained by Huns on the way. This stay is ten years. By the time he found a chance to escape back to Han, he had already left 13 years.
On the way to the Western Regions, although Zhang Qian was not free, he learned a lot about the local customs, especially the rich fruit varieties and food crops, which aroused his interest. For example, Zhang Qian saw naked, bright and lovely grapes in Dawan country, tasted them himself and praised their sweetness. After returning home, he reported his experiences in Dawanguo, Da Yue and Daxia to Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, which was highly valued. Since then, the relationship between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions has become closer.
Grape cultivation in the Central Plains of China began in the Western Han Dynasty. Grapes, pomegranates, walnuts and other plants are native to the western regions. These plants were introduced into the Central Plains only after Zhang Qian made an envoy to the Western Regions in the Han Dynasty. Due to the introduction of a large number of grape varieties, the scope of grape cultivation in the Central Plains has also begun to expand, and the brewing methods of wine have also begun to appear, and the culture related to grapes and wine is also gradually developing. Grapes originated in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean coast, and were only planted in the Caucasus, Central Asia and Iraq 7000 years ago, and then introduced to Egypt and Greece. In ancient Greece, people said that grapes were a gift from Diosas, the god of plants. In the Han dynasty, China called grapes Pu Tao, and expanded this information:
Grape is one of the oldest fruit trees in the world. Grapes are native to West Asia and cultivated all over the world, and about 95% of them are concentrated in the northern hemisphere. They can be used for raw food, raisin making or wine making, and the wine residue after wine making can be sour. Its roots and vines can be used to stop vomiting and prevent miscarriage, and its fruit can be used to prevent thrombosis. Autumn is a good season to eat grapes. Grapes are not only delicious, but also have high nutritional value. The sugar content of ripe grapes is as high as 10%-30%, mainly glucose. A variety of fruit acids in grapes help digestion.